The Most Affordable Places to Study Abroad

Money doesn’t mean everything, but it can certainly make a world of difference, especially when you’re planning on studying abroad.

When studying abroad, the cost is a huge factor, whether or not you want it to be. Essentially, you’re shelling out a ton of money to go to school in a foreign place, so you want to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

The difficulty here is just that, however: it’s a foreign location that’s unfamiliar. You don’t know what costs should be, or what’s realistic. You’re basically going into a study abroad experience blind. Or, at the very least, you’re doing a lot of research to make up for the fact that you don’t know anything.

Yes, this one surprised me too. However, France is actually one of the more affordable places to study abroad. The biggest draw for this one is that international and domestic fees are the same, which means you are not going to be paying more as an international student, which means huge savings.

While you will still pay quite a bit in terms of living expenses (especially if you opt to live in Paris, which, why wouldn’t you?), the cost of your education is much lower here, and therefore, you’re going to come out on top.

Perhaps best for those that speak Polish, Poland is another of the most affordable places to study. For one thing, if you speak Polish and take the same entrance exams as Polish students (as well as study your courses in Polish), your education is free.

For those of us that aren’t fluent in the language, the cost of education is very low and the cost of living in many of the cities is low, making this a more affordable option either way. If I were you, I would start learning Polish.

Perhaps one of the more popular choices as of late, Germany offers international students no tuition fees for those at undergraduate or Ph.D. levels if you attend a public university. Of course, if you are going for your Master’s degree, and you didn’t get your undergrad degree in Germany, the costs can be rather high, but there are also scholarship options.

Of course, cost of living can be a little higher, but with reputable universities at relatively low costs, this is certainly one that you’ll want on your list.

4. Mexico

First and foremost, the cost of living in Mexico is low, which means that you’ll be saving a ton of money simply in terms of living expenses. That being said, Spanish is the main language and while many courses are taught in English, a majority are in Spanish.

Of course, Mexico City is on the top list of cities for students, and tuition fees can vary, but when you’re considering all costs involved in attending school there, you’re really coming out ahead.

Another destination that’s growing in popularity, India is a location that is one of the cheapest to study abroad in. For one, English instruction is rather common, and the cost of living is so low that it more than makes up for the cost of tuition.

Plus, the cost of tuition really doesn’t exceed $7,300 annually, so no matter what, you’re saving yourself a large sum of money by studying abroad.

6. Norway

Easily the most affordable on this list in terms of tuition, Norway is free for all students, within and outside the EU (with a few exceptions, of course). You really can’t beat that. Not only that, but it’s a beautiful location that has a high percentage of English taught courses.

That being said, the cost of living in Norway is rather high and will cost students about $15K annually just to live there. However, when you consider the amount of money you’re saving on tuition, you’ll be more than happy shelling out $15K.

Again, studying abroad is not always a cheap option for students, and planning for such expenses can be difficult when you aren’t informed. Education has high costs along with it, and so it’s very difficult to budget properly, get the education that you need, and save enough money to enjoy yourself. Therefore, you should certainly be looking into these six places, as they are notoriously the most affordable to study abroad in.

Definitely do more research on your end to determine which option is the best not only in terms of the program you’re interested in pursuing but also when it comes to your wallet.

Happy studying!

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Victoria is a dedicated writer who graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She currently writes freelance pieces for various sites and works in Marketing for Myndbee Inc., promoting their current mobile app, Picpal.